Network ZEN: The Same Problem can Seem Different

The Mendicant was pondering the flow, and considering his options. In fact, there was more than one way to modify the network and thus improve the flow. Indeed, he struggled mightily to select the correct path and meditated deeply.

At last, with a resigned sigh, he approached the Master and said: “Master, I have given much time to considering the answer to my problem, but it seems that no answer is correct”.

The Master asked some questions and probed the Mendicant about his thinking.

The Master said: “I’m minded to tell you a story”:

Once upon a time, the Network Manager, Network Architect, and Network Engineer were travelling through the hills when they saw a black goat in the distance.

“Aha,” says the Network Manager, “I see that goats are black.”

“Hmm,” says the Network Architect, “You mean that at least some goats are black and that there are some goats here that are black.”

“No,” says the Network Operations Engineer, “What we know is that there is one goat, and that at least one side is black”

“You see” said the Master, “Sometimes the problem depends on your perspective, and so does the solution.”